Communications concerning the expansion of NAS Fallon’s training ranges have flown back and forth between Churchill County, NAS Fallon and the Department of the Navy since October leading up to last week’s passage of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. Ultimately, the expansion was not included in the legislation. Many of the entities involved are still actively working to resolve their differences to reach an amiable piece of legislation hopefully for 2023.
In addition to correspondence, there have been numerous meetings. In November, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Acting Under Secretary Meredith Berger came to Fallon. They met with several of the stakeholders involved in the Fallon Range Training Modernization issue including the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe, staff at NAS Fallon, and officials with Churchill County.
Chairman Pete Olsen sent a follow up letter to the Secretary of the Navy after the meeting, expressing his desire to continue “building momentum towards a favorable resolution for all parties involved,” and reiterating the list of the county’s outstanding issues with the FRTC. In the letter Olsen explained specific actions that the county would like to occur in order to “reach favorable resolution.”
The county believes a joint meeting with the federal agencies, Department of the Navy, Department of Interior, Office of Management and Budget, the Nevada congressional delegation, and the county is necessary to work through the through the unresolved details and differences. The county envisions the meeting taking place in Washington D.C. and suggests an agenda be set prior to the meeting to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
The commissioners’ letter requests the commitments, mitigation, and funding in the Environmental Impact Study’s Record of Decision be specifically included in the text of the legislation. The Navy’s response indicates that it is difficult to secure legislation with such detailed language, but reiterated their commitment to several issues, citing especially the provisions for grazing permits that will be terminated, grazing and recreation in Dixie Valley, compensation for the purchase of water rights, compensation for mining claims, accommodating future route for Interstate 11, several road and right of way issues, and accommodating bighorn sheep hunting with Nevada Department of Wildlife.
The county maintains that several topics were missing from the Navy’s commitments including clarification on the payments for grazing permits, specifics on mapping details of utility and transportation corridors, public access to existing county roads, and assurances regarding the sheep hunt. There are still outstanding issues with boundaries and designations for Dixie Valley, and boundaries around the bombing ranges as well as several roads.
Citing the Churchill County Lands Bill, the county said they will not support legislation that doesn’t include resolution of existing Wilderness Study Areas, resolution of the checkerboard and its ownership, and conveyances of federally managed lands to the county and city.
They Navy responding confirming the military mission in the area of the WSA would not conflict with the special management designations of the wilderness area. As to the ownership of the checkerboard, except for 1,000 acres northeast of B-20, the transfer of 21,000 acres of land out of federal ownership would not negatively impact the military mission.
The county has asked the Department of the Interior provide feedback confirming the land usage compatibility.
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